The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has said the recent surge in terrorist attacks in Nigeria’s North-East may be politically motivated, with some actors seeking to portray the government as weak.

Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV, Musa noted that such attacks often intensify during election periods and may involve both local and external collaborators.

“Any time it’s a political year, it goes up. Individuals want to take advantage to make the government look weak or to show that they are still capable,” he said.
“You don’t have to kill the people you want to govern. Why increase violence just to score cheap political points?”

The minister maintained that Nigeria is making steady progress in tackling insecurity and urged citizens to support ongoing military operations and government efforts.
According to him, terrorist groups often exaggerate their impact to instil fear, with isolated attacks amplified to create the impression of widespread dominance.

“We’ve had casualties, and it is an ongoing war. That’s why we must remain alert and continue to support the armed forces and the government so we can win,” Musa said.
He described the adversary as a “determined enemy” with ideological motivations and external support, making the conflict particularly complex.

“The worst enemy is one from within—someone with nothing to lose. For them, it is ideological; they believe dying brings rewards, so they take extreme risks,” he added, while lamenting the loss of military personnel in recent attacks.

On the recent airstrike at Jilli Market in Borno State, where over 100 people were reportedly killed, Musa said the location had long been designated a restricted zone due to its use by террористs as a logistics hub.
He claimed the area served as a supply point for materials used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as well as food and fuel.

“Nobody in that area was innocent. They knew why they were there,” Musa said, dismissing claims that victims were civilians.

He explained that economic incentives had drawn people to the area, citing inflated prices for goods such as rice and fuel as drivers of illegal trade with insurgents.

The minister, however, described attempts to portray those affected as innocent victims as “disturbing,” insisting that the military had repeatedly warned against activities in the area.